Praise Band and Ensembles

In additional to our choir, Emmanuel Church is gifted with a great number of contemporary singers, instrumentalists, and musical groups who perform inspirational music from all traditions – classical, jazz, gospel, praise, and rock-n-roll.

Once a month our Praise Band begins worship early with a 30 minute song set that is upbeat and spirited. The children dance and bang on rhythm instruments! The Emmanuel Praise band includes two keyboards, guitar, bass and drums, with several vocalists backed by other band members’ voices.

Two other Sundays a month, we have “Gathering Music” times that precede worship in the sanctuary, featuring musicians and groups of all kinds, including youth singers, folk singers, ensembles, and music friends from outside the church. Scot Zaffora-Reeder, Patte LeMieux, and Joe Foy, all who are folk singers, perform periodically, as does our own Contemporary Music Director/Organist, Phillip Lai, who is a gifted singer and songwriter.

In addition to the Praise Band, Emmanuel worship services are enriched by periodic performances from “Soul Force,” a soul band made up of 6 church members who perform their own original compositions with lyrics that resonate with the mystic poets of all religious traditions.